Dearly Beloved
by WordsAndI
Summary: When certain things pull Edward away from Bella at a young age, a later reunion causes some tension. Can Bella forgive Edward and move on? If so, will she move on with or without him?


I do not own these characters, the basic plot or any other recognizable part in this story. I only play around and hope to entertain.

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"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join…" The Minister's voice grows distant as I zone out of the here and now. I feel the familiar surge of an oncoming memory and although I know it's one that I've tried very hard to forget, I let it grasp me. Considering that he's standing a few feet away from me now, a memory is nothing in comparison, I reason with myself.

…

"Bella, talk to me! Do you think this is easy for me?" he nearly shouted. I stubbornly held my face away from him, avoiding his then angered gaze. Of course I didn't think this was easy for him. The guy that was standing in front me was the same guy I fell in love with. He was raw, he always had been. His emotion, and the honesty of it, seeped through every word and every stare. So, I knew this was hurting him too.

But a part of me, one that was growing in stature by the minute, had always felt that he would leave me. This moment was the culmination of all my fears and it seemed as though I had lost the ability to form words. Or maybe I was just afraid of attacking him with all my suppressed insecurities and furthering the pathetic state of this situation.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do, god damnit! But I thought you, especially you Bella, would understand why I chose this!" He was full on shouting and ended his last sentence with a strangled cry as he pulled on his perfectly messy hair.

…

The Minister clears his throat and manages to pull me from my reverie, which seems to be his intention. He nods to the small lace-covered pillow I'm holding and my eyes widen as I realize what I'm supposed to do. I step forward to hand the rings to Alice and Jasper, both of them giving me a jesting glare. As I step back into my place in the bridesmaid queue, I catch the green eyes directly across from me. He's wearing his trademark smirk, but a slightly watered down version. I'm betting he knows not to assume that things are OK between us.

I look away without acknowledging him and focus on my beautiful best friend standing in front of me. Growing up, Alice had been the exact opposite of me. When we were 12, she already knew all about which bras had the best padding, what conditioner to use in your hair and how to get a boy to hold your hand. I was lost in the world of sports and none of those things mattered to me. All I cared about was which hockey stick had the best grip, which headbands worked best at keeping my hair at bay and how to get a shot past a guy in his goalie gear. Alice still calls our meeting in the 6th grade an intervention of the gods. It was a normal day at school and I was wearing my usual attire of a plain t-shirt and faded blue jeans. Sometimes I spiced things up with a green or blue scarf or wore a pair of my colorful collection of vans, instead of the black ones I had on then.

It was the middle of homeroom and I was still out in the hall, trying to unlock my locker. Suddenly I heard a gasp and when I turned around I found Alice staring at a spot on my back side. She rushed forward and grabbed my left arm, pulling me to the nearest bathroom.

"What is it?" I asked in confusion.

I had heard of and seen Alice around school many times previously, but her infectious and bubbly personality obviously lead to her being one of the more popular kids. On the other hand, you could always find me out on the hockey field or in the library during lunch. On my own.

"Do you know what a period is?" Alice asked in a hushed voice. Immediately I realized why she'd dragged me to the bathroom and I could feel my face flame up in a blush. "Shit," I answered. "Is this your first one?" she asked with a concerned expression. I nodded my head and covered my face with my hands to hide my embarrassment, knowing it wouldn't help anything. "Oh don't worry. I began last summer while we were on holiday. At the beach! Can you believe that? I was so mortified! I ran straight to the bathroom when a group of boys walking behind me started laughing. Luckily my brother saw it all happen and came to my rescue. He brought my mom's beach bag to the stall I was in and waited till I cleaned up. I think I'll forever be grateful to him!" She said all of this in such a fast pace that she had to suck a breath in at the end.

Alice produced the needed goods out of her clutch. Then she quickly left the bathroom to get a pair of shorts in her locker. "It's important to have backup," she said when she handed it to me once she got back. Similar to what her brother, a freshman in high school I later learned, had done for her, she waited until I cleaned up.

Even though I'll never forgive her for not giving me the longer pair of jeans she had in her locker and rather making me wear her very tiny and very short shorts, Alice and I grew closer and closer since that day. Eventually we were inseparable and we still are.

I look over to her soon-to-be husband. He was also Alice's brother's best friend. See, that's how they met. Jasper worked part time at a local record store, the same store where Alice's brother spent most of his afternoons, indulging in his love of music. At the age of 16, Alice was no stranger to boys and the effect she had on them. One Saturday Alice was sent to get her bother from his musical sanctuary. As soon as she set her eyes on the long-haired cashier, she experienced the same effect on herself, for the very first time.

Uncharacteristically shy at first, Alice got to know this soulful boy through the weekends he spent with her brother, listening to old rock and more modern indie music in the base room of their home.

The 19 year old, named Jasper Whitlock, had stolen her heart in a few looks and words. Luckily for Alice, he was just as hooked by her. The rest was, as the cliché would say, history.

Again, my eyes unintentionally fall on the next person in the line of sight, Jasper's best man and Alice's brother. To my actual surprise, he's still staring at me. His eyes are so familiar, and it's the same familiarity that causes me such a deep pain. I'd recognize them when they're furrowed in concentration, listening to his favourite artist. When they're crinkled at the corner, laughing at his silly sister trying to get the attention of his best friend. When one of them blinks shut in a wink to me in a secret second, a moment between only me and him. And when they're filled with tears, months later, when he breaks my heart. I'd recognize Edward's eyes anywhere.

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This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction, so if would be so kind to drop a review, I'd find it majorly encouraging.


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